The present invention relates to a novel confectionery product capable of providing a pleasant and rapid release of a confectionery material to the consumer. More specifically, the invention relates to a confectionery product capable of delivering at least one functional ingredient in a pleasant and perceivable manner. The present invention also relates to a method for releasing functional ingredients from a confectionery product providing a perceived well-being effect which increases consumer acceptance.
A number of attempts have been made to encapsulate or retain functional ingredients into various glassy, sintered or chewy matrixes. In general, the confectionery serves as a solid continuous matrix for the functional ingredient. The functional ingredient is delivered according to the dissolution rate of the confectionery matrix which confers a solid taste in the mouth. Crushing the confectionery is a solution for the consumer to speed up the release of the functional ingredient but this solution may be undesirable as dental problems may arise and/or the release rate of the functional ingredient may not be respected as recommended. Depending upon the method of manufacturing the confectionery matrix, the functional ingredient may suffer from deterioration or damages due to heat and/or mechanical stresses in the manufacturing process. The method which consists in overdosing of the functional ingredients in the confectionery matrix to overcome a high deterioration rate due to strong processing conditions is a costly method. The “solid” taste a pressed tablet or glassy matrix may provide in the mouth may also be considered as not very attractive in the context of delivering active ingredients, especially if the product is supposed to be primarily a confectionery.
Liquid filled boiled sweets are known. They may also be used to deliver functional ingredients. However, despite the fact the center is primarily liquid, the whole product has a tendency to melt as one piece in the mouth while the center does not release from the casing rapidly but melts slowly and progressively thus making a pasty mass.
Powdered sugar filling in a high boiled sweet is also known for many years to make traditional confectioneries such as “Sherbet Lemon” in England. However, such a sweet has not been used for delivering functional ingredients. Furthermore, it behaves in the mouth in a way similar to the liquid filled boiled sweets with the casing and filling melting slowly in the mouth; a significant part of the filling agglomerating within the casing in contact with the saliva thus forming lumps which remain in the casing during the dissolution of the casing.
In the domain of the encapsulation of functional ingredients, the following publications are cited as pertaining to general background. U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,897 relates to encapsulation of medications, pesticides, vitamins, preservatives and flavoring agents within a glassy matrix consisting of modified starch and polyhydric alcohol. EP 09 04 784 discloses a probiotic preparation with health promoting action comprising bacteria cells, novelose, arabic gum included in a 3-gram proteinic capsule. U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,092 relates to pharmaceutical compositions in the form of pleasant-tasting chewable tablets or chewable coated tablets which besides the pharmaceutically active ingredient sulfacrate, essentially contain at least one rapidly swellable physiologically acceptable gel former plus sugar or sugar substitutes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,631 describes a bifidobacterium-containing confectionery tablet including one or more of substances selected from the group consisting of starch, starch hydrolysate and protein. JP 2893021 relates to a boiled sweet enclosing bifidobacteria encapsulated with a protective coating film and diluted with a mixture of powdered sugar or sugar alcohol as a filling. JP 60083535 relates to a preparation of candies containing lactobacilli activated with spores made by mixing sugar and millet honey, chilling, pulverising and adding activated lactobacilli powder. JP 57032221 discloses candy tablets containing bifidus microorganism made by mixing microorganism powder with fat, adding further raw materials and tabletting. EP 07 04 164 discloses a confectionery composition containing a long-life lactic bacteria, fats and/or oil, fermented milk powder and saccharide. DE 19830528 discloses a multi-layer tablet comprising nutritious substances and microorganisms and can be stored without cooling.
Confectionery technology, in particular sugar-based confectionery, also suffers from a negative image of providing very little positive effect on nutrition and health. In the meantime, in the recent well-being oriented boom, there is an increasing general concern and consciousness of people relating to food and what should be the true and genuine function of food with respect to health and nutrition. The known products on the market are far from reaching the consumer's expectations in term of taste, sensation in the mouth and appearance. In particular, many known functional ingredients have no particular flavor or even off-flavor that make the product carrying the functional ingredient(s) unpleasant to consume.
Therefore, it has been realized that at least part of the commercial success of a wellbeing oriented product is a question of how the product releases in the mouth. The consumer must have the sensation that something remarkable and perceivable appears in the mouth that send him signals that a functional activity takes place and preferably in a pleasant and tasteful manner. The present invention now provides products that meet these requirements.